Food blogs are my Pinterest. I love seeing what other people are cooking. I love finding inspiration through other people's food creations. Pictures of steaming stir frys, towering oversized sandwiches, massive cuts of grilled meat fresh off the barbecue. As a chef it all excites and inspires me to keep on making my own delicious food. Food porn at its finest.
There are tons of conglomerate food sites from food magazines, famous chefs and brands—but it's those personal sites that are the real gems. No hidden agendas, no mass produced recipes—just a love of food that comes through one delicious post at a time.
A far cry from the fast-food goop North Americans often associate with Chinese food, writer and cooking teacher Diana Kuan posts recipes from regions all around China. Her photos will make you want to crawl through your computer screen to sample the recipes. I've never been disappointed when trying to create one of her recipes at home. Fresh ingredients, easy to follow instructions—what more could you ask for?
I recommend trying: Cantonese Tomato Beef
I think I originally stumbled upon Kay's (Dutch Girl) website when looking for tips on taking better food photos for my own website. Her pictures are entrancing, and her recipe archive is incredibly vast and varied. Spend a few minutes flipping through the recipes on Kayotic Kitchen and you'll find yourself with a massive case of the "I Gotta Haves." I have a love-hate relationship with kayotic Kitchen because I adore the recipes and photos but am constantly reminded just how much my own food photography skills are lacking...
I recommend trying: Lime & Ricotta Cupcakes
Truly displaying food as a labour-of-love Florentina is all about delicious, rustic food. From tips on how to make things as simple as white rice, to the complex and fabulous—the recipes seem to always inspire me to focus back on the basics. Good, delicious food to enjoy with family and friends.
I recommend trying: Rustic Chicken Stew & Creamy Polenta
While not a recipes site per se, fellow Torontonian Mardi seems to fit more culinary adventure into her schedule than seems humanly possible. Cooking, photographing food, culinary travel, all while still holding down a full-time teaching position. So while you may not get the recipes straight off of Eat.Live.Travel.Write. (there are often links to recipes), there is no shortage of inspiration. Beautiful food from Mardi's kitchen or from one of her various culinary adventures.
I recommend trying: Tomato and Goat Cheese Tartlettes
There is something magical about Indian food. The bright hues, the seductive fragrance of spices, and the bold flavours seem to tantalize all of the senses. On her site The Tiffin Box, Albertan food writer Michelle posts East Indian recipes focusing on fresh and local ingredients. Her photos are pieces of art and her recipes will have you running to your spice cabinet to check if you have the ingredients needed to pull together your own Indian feast.
I recommend trying: Palak Paneer
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